Jaeden’s gaze followed her movements as Tasha’s hand slowly moved towards his own. The warmth of her fingers was the first thing he felt, as it radiated along the skin of the back of his hand. Then there was that feeling of static passing between their skin just as the tips of her fingers then slid along the surface of Jaeden’s hand. Then there was the simple feeling of warmth as Tasha’s hand rested along Jaeden’s own. Soon his emotions began to swirl around as there was a moment where he felt his Ranuri mark was suddenly reacting to Tasha’s mark.
But it wasn’t. With Red, Ranuri had a small role in the bonding process, and before her Jaeden had been morally inclined not to bond with Kelvics, simply because he felt that the bond that drove their race to emphatically serve the one they bonded with, was in a way another form of slavery to him. It was true that the Kelvic most often chose who they bonded with , but it seemed after the bond that’s where their choices ended, as they did whatever their bondmate seemed to feel inclined for them to. After his time with Red, however, Jaeden discovered that it wasn’t quite so simple. Red still essentially did everything she could to make Jaeden happy, but often Jaeden rarely asked her to do anything. And truly, whenever he felt she was doing to much, she did less. She always spoke her mind, sparred with Jaeden in conversation, and had been a closer friend to Jaeden than any who had come before her. In that lie the danger for Kelvics, Jaeden learned. They only became slaves at the whim of their bondmate, otherwise they were as devoted a companion as Jaeden would be to others he cared for.
And so, when Jaeden felt the initial attempts at bonding, he had a choice this time, his Ranuri connected more permanently to another. So as he gazed into Tasha’s eyes, his hand softly resting on her shoulder and her hand along his, he closed his eyes, opening himself to that bond as Tasha’s emotions flooded his senses, soft whispers of her voice incoherently filling his mind. A few feet away, Red’s eyes closed as her head tilted back, feeling it herself in a small way through Jaeden himself. After a moment longer, Jaeden’s own emotions then began to filter back into Tasha as she began sensed his emotions, hear his thoughts. Only a few moments would pass in silence before the bond had formed. Jaeden’s eyes then opened, looking to Tasha once again, a comforting smile forming on his face. Behind him, Red had that same smile on her face as she leaned forward, her forearms resting along his shoulders as she looked down at Tasha with almost an expression one would have when they met a new member to a family. “Well, I’m sure Red will enjoy a new person to heckle me with.” Jaeden then said, his smile turning to smirk.
“You damn skippy.” Red then said, giving Tasha a small wink.
